Time Stands Still
by AlexanderCastle
Summary: Season 5 finale 'fic based on something said by Stana herself in an interview during the hiatus between S5 and S6. Before Kate can commit to a possible future with Richard Castle, she has a few things that she has to tell him first. More characters than just the four mentioned. Now a series of one-shots!
1. Time Stands Still

**I've been around fanfiction for a while, but until now I've never actually posted anything here. I really hope you enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like to, I do not own Castle.**

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**Time Stands Still - A Castle One-shot**

"So whatever happens, and whatever you decide… Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"  
Time stood still for Detective Kate Beckett. She stared at her kneeling boyfriend, speechless. She had been expecting him to break up with her, not to propose to her. And she certainly didn't expect him to sound to sound so serious about it when he asked her what was basically the most important thing he would ever ask her (although, now that she thought about it, why the hell didn't she expect it? It was a serious question, after all!). The funny thing was, she thought that she already knew, had probably always known, exactly what her answer was going to be. But first she had to find out his reaction to the two things she absolutely had to say to him. "Kate…"  
At last, she found her voice. "Rick. Before I give you my answer, before I tell you whether I can agree to spend the rest of my life with you or not, there are two things that you really need to know. Once I've told you what they are, if you're still sure that you want to marry me, and then I'll give you my answer" she said simply.  
He merely nodded. "What's the first thing?"  
"I got the job".  
Unsurprised, he nodded. "I knew you would, Kate. But that doesn't change a thing. I didn't propose to you to force you to stay in New York. I proposed to you because I can't imagine my life without you anymore. Because I am head over heels in love with you, and I want to make sure that the entire world knows the depth of my feelings for you. Because... well, I want to spend as much time as I can showing you how extraordinary you really, truly are. Because... well, when I think about my future, there's only one person I want beside me, and that person is you, Kate. Because I know that you'll always have my back, just like I'll always have yours. Because whether you take the job or not doesn't matter to me in the slightest, only that you're happy"  
She could feel her heart skip a beat, and she knew that he was telling the truth. _God, how could she ever have doubted him?_ "I see. But... I'm going to turn the job down, Rick. My mind has finally realized what my heart has been trying to tell me all along. New York... it's where I belong. The 12th Precinct is my home. And you, Richard Castle, the ruggedly-handsome millionaire author who basically forced your way into my life five years ago… You are my best friend, my partner, and my boyfriend, and you have no idea how much I have enjoyed the past five years with you. Without you working with me… well, it's like I said when you offered to stop shadowing me after I shot Coonan the day we realized that he was responsible for killing my mother. I have a hard job, Castle, and you make it just that much more fun. I'd be a fool to give that up. Besides, I am insanely in love with you. I'm not going anywhere".  
He smiled at her, meeting her hazel eyes with his own intense blue ones. "I understand. And, for the record? The feeling's mutual. God, Kate, I feel like I'm falling in love with you more and more every day that goes by. So, anyway... What's the second thing you need to tell me?"  
She sighed. Luckily for her, he had taken the first piece of news easier than she had expected him to. _Now to see how he takes the second..._ "Do you remember that time that you mentioned you were worried about the possibility that you might not be able to have children any more, and, when I asked you about whether you actually did want more kids or not, you said you'd like to have the opportunity to?"  
He nodded briefly, before gesturing for her to continue. She hesitated, not really sure whether he would accept what she was about to say or not, though she knew that she didn't want to drag this out any longer than was really necessary, and it was probably easier to say it now, just after she found out about the pregnancy, than it would be once she got everything figured out. "Well, needless to say that any worries you may or may not have had were completely unfounded. Castle… I'm pregnant".  
His mouth dropped open. "Are… Are you sure?"  
She forced a smile. "Pretty damn sure, Rick. You're going to be a father again".  
As soon as she had spoken those words, he stood and moved to her, taking her face in his hands and enveloping her lips in a passionate kiss. A kiss, that, had she been standing, would have probably made her knees buckle. "A baby. You're pregnant. Wow. Just... thank you, Kate. You have no idea how much I wanted to have this opportunity with you" he whispered.  
"I want this opportunity with you too, Rick. And there's no-one I'd rather have it with"  
He smiled at her, pulling the diamond ring from his pocket one more time. "So with you staying in New York for good, and pregnant with my child, my question still stands. And this time, I really do want an answer. Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"  
That's when she knew that she had made the right decision when she decided to stay in New York. His response to the news she had shared with him, as well as the fact that he still wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, had only served to prove that. "Richard Edgar Castle… Of course I will!"  
He slid the ring onto her left ring finger and leaned in again, the two of them sealing their engagement with one last passionate kiss. This time, it was Kate who pulled away. "Let's go home, Rick. We have an engagement to celebrate…"

**This 'fic was always intended as a one-shot, so I'm marking it as complete for the time being, though I might extend it at some future date.**


	2. Worth Waiting For

**So due to popular requests for a second part... Here you go.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle.**

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Kate sighed in relief as she sank into the soft leather of the couch in her fiancé's loft apartment. Catching herself staring at the ring that now adorned her left ring finger; she couldn't help but marvel at how quickly her life had taken a turn for the better. It was only ten hours ago that she was worried about the future of her relationship, whether she and Rick were actually going to make it, and considering moving to DC for a job. Now she was engaged to the love of her life, pregnant, and staying in New York for good. As Rick pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled her father's number, she leaned forward, picking up her book from where she had left it on the table in front of her, and began reading.

-Richard Castle-

"Hello?"

The writer smiled slightly as he heard his fiancée's father's voice on the other end of the line. "Jim. Hi, it's Rick Castle".

"Hi Rick. What can I do for you?" his almost-father-in-law asked from the other end of the line.

"I was wondering if you might be free tonight at around 7" Rick replied calmly.

"Hang on, let me check".

There was a short pause before Jim responded. "Yeah, I am. Is something up?"

As much as Rick wanted to tell Kate's father, he knew he had to keep their news a secret, at least until that night. "Kate and I talked things over a couple of minutes ago, and the two of us have a few announcements to make. We were wondering if you would join us at the loft for dinner tonight. My mother will be there, as will, hopefully, Alexis."

"Yeah, I'll see you then".

Rick smiled. "Great, thank you so much. We'll see you at 7".

As he hung up, Kate paused in the middle of the book she was reading and glanced over at him. "Should I assume he's going to be able to make it?" she queried.

Rick grinned, replying "He'll be here."

Kate nodded and went back to the book she was reading as her fiancé quickly tapped in another number, immensely grateful for the fact that Alexis still had a couple more days to go before she left for Costa Rica. "Dad?"

Rick's smile widened as soon as he heard his teenage daughter's voice. "Hi, pumpkin. Kate and I were just wondering if you were free tonight at around 7."

Alexis considered the question. "I do have to finish getting ready for the trip to Costa Rica, but that can wait until tomorrow. What's going on?"

"Kate and I have a couple of announcements to make. We're probably going to meet the guys for lunch tomorrow to tell them, but we wanted your grandmother, her father, and you to be the first ones to find out".

He could almost hear the surprise in his daughter's voice. "Really?"

"Really. We're having dinner at the loft tonight; we'll be making the announcements there. See you there?"

When his daughter responded, there was a certain eagerness to her voice. "Yeah, dad. I'll be there. I'm looking forward to it now".

"Great. See you at 7."

**~At 7 that night~**

There was a knock on the door, and Rick opened it, greeting the older man that stood on the other side. "Good to see you again, Jim".

"You too, Rick".

The writer stepped to the side, allowing the older man to enter. As he did so, Kate, who was standing in the kitchen talking to Martha, came walking over, embracing her father. "Good to see you again so soon, dad" she said quietly.

"Good to see you too, Katie. Now, are you going to tell me what all this is about or are you going to make me guess?"

"We want to wait until Alexis gets here to share our news, but, as Rick told you before, we talked things over. I think I made the right choice under the circumstances".

"And that choice would be… what, exactly?"

Kate chuckled. "Sorry, Dad, but you'll have to wait until Alexis is here to find that out. Why don't you take a seat? Dinner should be ready soon".

Following Jim's arrival, it was only a couple of minutes longer before Alexis showed up. Rick embraced his daughter before moving into the kitchen to finish the dinner preparations, leaving Kate to talk with the younger Castle. "What's going on, Kate?" Alexis queried.

Before answering, Kate turned and looked towards Rick, who had just taken the lasagne out of the oven. Feeling her eyes upon him, he looked up and in her direction, smiling reassuringly at her. She could see the pure, unbridled, joy and love shining in his sapphire eyes, and her heart beat faster as everything finally sank in. She was pregnant, they were engaged, and she had decided that the possibility of a life with him was far more important to her than the possibility of a career with the FBI. Far more important. At last, she managed to find the right words to give the reply she wanted to without giving too much away. "Good things, Alexis. Very good things indeed".

The red-haired girl smiled and grinned at the detective. "I'm glad. You make my dad happier than he has been for years, Kate. Honestly, I don't know what he'd do without you".

Kate smiled softly. "I don't know what I'd do without him either, Alexis. I've never felt about anyone else the way I do about him. I'm not proud of the fact that it took me so long to realize how I felt about him, but now I know, and I'm never going to let him forget how much I love him".

"That's all I needed to hear" Alexis said softly, before walking towards the table to join Jim and her grandmother.

Rick finished dishing the lasagne onto five plates before turning to Kate. "Could you help me serve these, please?"

His fiancée nodded. "Gladly".

**~A couple of minutes later~**

Kate took another bite of her lasagne. "This is so good".

"I agree".

Jim set his fork down beside his plate and took a sip of his cider. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but on the phone earlier Rick mentioned that the two of you have news. So… what is it?"

Rick and Kate glanced at each other briefly before Kate spoke again. "Three things. Firstly… I've been offered a job with the Attorney General's office in DC. I'd have access to government resources and technology, not to mention the security access. However… Rick and I have talked it over, and I've made the decision not to take the job (though I was already leaning towards that option anyway). My life, my family, my friends… I have everything I need right here in New York. This is where I belong, and leaving for a job that, in all likelihood, I'd probably hate, would be the second biggest mistake I've ever made".

"The second biggest? What was the biggest mistake you've ever made, if you don't mind me asking?" queried Alexis.

Rick squeezed Kate's hand gently, and the detective smiled warmly at him before returning her eyes to the red-haired teenager. "Not telling Rick how I feel about him sooner" the detective replied.

Kate caught her father's approving nod. "Anyway, the second thing… After I told Rick that I wasn't going to take the job, he asked me to marry him. And… I said yes".

She eased her hand free of her fiancé's and held it up, revealing the engagement ring on her left ring finger. "And the third thing is… I'm pregnant".

As their family congratulated them, Kate felt her fiancé's arm slip around her waist and pull her close, and she went easily, nuzzling into his side. "You're going to be a great mother, Kate. I know you will" he said softly.

She looked up into his brilliant sapphire eyes, placing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you. And you're going to be a great father. You already are with Alexis, it's only natural that you'll be great with any children we have as well" she replied.

Her fiancé smiled warmly at her. "Together, Kate, we can handle anything life throws at us. I know we can".

"I love you".

"I love you too, Kate… Move in with me?"

"Yes".

**~The next day~**

"So, bro, you said there was something the two of you wanted to share with us?"

Kate and Rick smiled at each other before Kate responded. "Remember the Dale Tanner case? After we wrapped the case up, Agent Stack told me about a job opening with the Attorney General's office. I flew down to DC last week and interviewed for the position. Yesterday, I got a call saying that I got the job…"

Ryan glanced at Rick, surprised that he was taking this as well as he was. Esposito folded his arms and stared at Kate. "Congratulations. So, when do you leave?"

"I don't. I said I got the job, I didn't say I took it. You guys are here. My family is here. My life, my home, is here. My fiancé, who just so happens to be the love of my life, is here. I'm not going anywhere".

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Did you just say fiancé?"

Rick nodded. "She did indeed. After we closed that last case, we met and I asked her to marry me".

Kate smiled, raising her hand to reveal the engagement ring on her left ring finger. "And, after telling him that I turned the job down, and that… I'm pregnant… I said yes. And last night, he asked me to move in with him".

As their friends congratulated them, she felt his arm slip around her waist, and she subconsciously snuggled into his side, resting her head on his shoulders. "Thank you, Rick" she breathed.

He looked down at her questioningly. "For what?"

She took a second to consider what she was about to say. "For this. For our life together. For everything you are to me, for everything you have been and for everything you have done for me. Just... you changed my life, Rick, and I can never express how grateful I am for that. Thank you for waiting for me".

His arms immediately tightened around her, though not enough to be uncomfortable, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, responding "You've changed my life too, Kate. In so many ways. You were worth waiting for".

And in that moment, Kate Beckett knew that she had never felt more content.


	3. Inevitable

**Just because you guys are awesome, here's an update for you.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah... No.**

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"Do we really have to do this?" Rick asked his fiancée as he lifted a hand to knock on the door of Captain Gates' office.

Almost before he could, however, the older woman opened the door herself, nodding slightly to them in acknowledgement. "Detective Beckett. Mr. Castle. I just finished a very interesting call. Could you come into my office please?"

Kate and her fiancé glanced at each other, Castle silently gulping. Beckett nodded. "Of course, sir"

The couple followed the Captain into her office and stood opposite her as she moved to the other side of her desk. "The Deputy Director of the FBI called, Detective Beckett. He said that you turned the job down?"

Kate squirmed slightly under the Captain's intense glare, and Rick gave her an encouraging smile, squeezing her hand slightly with his. Swallowing, Kate nodded. "That would be correct, sir"

"Any particular reason why?"

The Captain's voice was calm, measured, as she posed the question. Kate and Rick glanced at each other momentarily before Kate spoke again. "New York is, and has always been, my home. My family and friends are here. My life…" she paused mid-sentence to glance briefly towards the writer, who merely smiled at her in support, and squeezed his hand lightly before continuing. "Our life… is, and always has been, here. I almost threw it all away a year ago by not listening to Rick when he asked me to step away from the Orlando Costas case, and by lying to him about remembering what he said to me the day of my shooting, and I am never, ever, making that mistake again. The job offer was a fantastic opportunity, it's true. But it was just not for me. Ever since Rick and I first met, he's changed the way I see things. He's broken down the walls that I'd built around my heart, helped me to see the light whenever it felt like I was lost in the darkness of my own mind. He's changed my life for the better, helped me to see that there's more to life than work. He means everything to me, and I can't just walk away from that to start a job in DC, no matter how great an opportunity it would be for me".

The captain nodded. "I see. Mr. Castle, would you mind giving me and Detective Beckett a couple of minutes alone please?"

Rick smiled slightly. "Of course. I'll be right over by your desk, Kate. I'm not going anywhere, I promise"

"I'll hold you to that" Kate said quietly.

Rick walked out of the office, closing the door behind him. Almost as soon as he had left, Gates sighed, gesturing to the empty seat next to Kate. "Take a seat, Detective".

Kate did as she was asked, curious as to what her boss wanted to speak to her about. "What's up, sir?"

"Are you absolutely sure you want to stay in New York, Detective?"

Kate smiled slightly. "Yes, sir, I am. Also, I just wanted to let you know that Rick and I are moving in together. Amongst… other things"

The captain gave the younger detective an appraising glance. "I think I can guess what those other things might be. Congratulations, Detective, to both you and Mr. Castle. On both your engagement and your pregnancy"

Kate's mouth dropped open. "Sir? How… How did you know?"

"The way you hold yourself has changed. It's not overly obvious yet, but your right hand is subconsciously drifting closer to your stomach, almost as if you can't stop yourself from wanting to rub or touch it. Therefore hinting at you being pregnant. And there is also a diamond ring on the ring finger of your left hand that wasn't there yesterday, indicating that Mr. Castle proposed to you and you said yes. Do remember that I was a detective before getting to where I was now" Gates responded calmly.

Kate smiled sheepishly. "It's true. Rick and I met by the swings in the park once we closed that last case, he proposed to me, and I told him that I had got the job and that I was pregnant"

"Again, congratulations to both you and Mr. Castle. And for what it's worth, Detective, I'm sure the two of you will be excellent parents".

The unexpected compliment surprised Kate. "Thank you, sir. That really means a lot to me".

Gates smiled slightly. "You're welcome. Now, go. And tell your fiancé that I don't want to see either of you here for the rest of the week. Take some well-deserved time off to celebrate your engagement properly, and I'll see you both back here bright and early on Monday morning. Is that understood?"

The detective raised an eyebrow. "Sir? Does that mean that you're happy to allow Castle to continue to work with us on cases, even though we're engaged?"

Gates winked. "Consider it an engagement present. Now, get out of here. Go celebrate".

"Yes, sir. See you on Monday, sir".

And with those words, Kate stepped out of the office and closed the door behind her before heading over to her desk, a smile playing across her features. That had gone so much better than she had expected it to.

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**There!**

**Reviews?**


	4. Questions And Answers

**Alright, here's the next part of the storyline, which picks up just a few seconds after we left off.**

**2007gracee - Thanks!**

**tscott1224 - Thank you, that means a lot to me.**

**Disclaimer - If you recognize it, then it isn't mine.**

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"So".

Kate looked up from her desk, meeting her fiancé's eyes. "So?"

"What did Captain Gates want to talk to you about?"

The detective smiled. "She asked me if I was sure I wanted to stay in New York".

"And are you?"

She could see her fiancé's blue eyes sparkling as he posed the question and, though she could that he already knew what the answer was, she replied anyway. "Of course, Rick. The only things that I've ever been more certain of in my life are how much I love you and how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Like I said to the Captain while we were both in her office, this isn't just about me anymore, Rick. It's not just my life. It's ours. I'd be a fool to give it up".

Her fiancé's arms wrapped around her waist, and Rick pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Well, you made the right choice in the end, and that's all that matters. Was that all Gates wanted?"

Kate's mind flashed back over the conversation she and the Captain had had in the older woman's office just a few minutes earlier, and the detective shook her head. "No, there was more. She wanted to congratulate us both on our engagement and my pregnancy. And then she said to take the rest of the week off to celebrate and that she wants to see us both back here bright and early on Monday morning".

"So we can continue to work together?"

"Yup, Gates is fine with that. She said to think of it as an engagement present".

"I'm glad to hear it".

Kate smiled at him, leaning in and pressing her lips against his in a soft kiss. "Me too"

As they walked hand in hand towards the elevator, Kate shifted slightly, leaning more into Rick's side. He smiled down at her, slipping an arm around her shoulder, and pressed another soft kiss to her forehead. "Is there anything in particular you want to do with our suddenly-free weekend?" he queried.

His fiancée paused, considering the question. "Actually, we haven't been up to the Hamptons for a few months. You want to call Alexis, maybe see if she wants to join us up there for the weekend before she has to leave for her trip to Costa Rica?"

Rick nodded, already pulling his phone from his pocket and unlocking it before pulling up the Contacts menu. Within seconds, he had put the phone to his ear. "Alexis? Hi, sweetheart. Hey, Kate and I have the weekend off to celebrate our engagement and we were thinking about going up to the Hamptons for the weekend. Do you want to join us?"

He listened intently for a few seconds as his daughter responded. "Yeah, she's with me right now. We're just leaving the Precinct after talking to Gates"

He listened intently for a few seconds longer before taking his phone from his ear and holding it out to Kate. "She wants to talk to you".

To his fiancée's credit, she only allows herself the briefest show of surprise before accepting the phone from him and putting it to her own ear, falling into an easy conversation with his daughter. "Alexis, hi! How's college?"

She paused, listening intently for a few seconds. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that went well. So, when do you have to leave for Costa Rica?"

Another pause, then Kate nodded. "So you don't have to leave until Sunday afternoon? Do you want to come up to the Hamptons with your father and me this weekend, get out of the city for a bit?"

She listened, nodding. "Yup, we've got the weekend off to celebrate. The rest of the week, in fact. So, what do you think? Do you want to join us in the Hamptons?"

There was a brief hesitation from the other side of the line before Alexis responded. Rick saw a soft smile forming on his fiancée's face as his daughter answered, and couldn't resist a smile of his own. "Great, we'll meet you out the front of your building in a couple of hours. See you then".

The detective smiled again before taking the phone away from her ear, pressing the button to end the call before passing the device back to her fiancé. Rick tucked the phone back into his pocket and reached out, pressing the button for the elevator with one finger. "Looks like she'll be joining us for the weekend" Kate commented idly.

Rick nodded. "I guess so".

He glanced down at his fiancée, who had tucked herself further against his side, and was resting her head on his shoulder as they waited for the elevator. "Hey. Thank you, Kate".

He spoke softly, though tenderly. Kate glanced up at him in slight surprise. "For what?"

"For everything, Kate. My daughter is a major part of my life, and it just means so much to me to see you getting along with her so amazingly well" Rick replied.

Kate smiled softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in, pressing her lips to his softly. "Of course, Rick. You raised an amazing daughter, and your relationship with her is just one of the reasons I am in love with you. Alexis is a great kid, and since she's important to you, that makes her just as important to me".

"And that's one of the reasons that I love you too" Rick replied softly, kissing her back.

There was a soft chime as the elevator doors slid open, and the couple stepped inside, eager to go home and start packing for their holiday.

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**So there we go. I really like how this one turned out. Leave a Review? I love hearing your thoughts, I genuinely do.**

**Also, I miss the ability to insert horizontal lines without having to Edit the document you want to add them to...  
**


	5. An Introduction To Be Made

**Next part of the storyline. I'm really enjoying this plot so far, so expect heaps more updates!**

_**Disclaimer: I definitely don't own them.**_

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"Are we ready to go?" Rick queried, glancing questioningly at the woman sitting beside him.

His fiancée hesitated for a few seconds, considering her response carefully, before responding. "Actually, Rick, do you mind if we make a quick detour first? There's someone I'd like to introduce the two of you to".

The writer nodded. "Fine by me, Kate. Alexis?"

His red-haired daughter glanced up from the book in her lap, giving her father a slight nod. "If it's important to Kate, of course"

The detective turned slightly in her seat, giving the girl an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Alexis. That means a lot to me, it really does. And yes, it is really important to me. After all, you two are my family now, so I think it's only fair that the two of you get to meet the woman who helped to make me who I am. I'd like to introduce you… both of you… to my mom".

**~Approximately half an hour later~**

Rick pulled the car to a stop outside the cemetery where his fiancée's mother was buried, opening the car door and stepping out onto the pavement, carefully closing his door before walking around the car to help his fiancée out.

She accepted his offered hand with a grateful smile and a quiet "Thank you", her other hand grabbing the small bouquet of mixed flowers, which Rick had suggested that they stop for, from where they sat on the car's dashboard.

They paused for a second, waiting for Alexis to join them, and, as she emerged from the car, Rick's arm slid around Kate's shoulder, the detective leaning into her fiancé's embrace slightly. "You ready to do this, Kate?"

The detective paused for a moment, giving him a soft smile. "Yeah. Just… Do you mind if we take a moment before going in? It's been a long time since I've brought anyone else here, and especially since I've brought anyone here who means as much to me as the two of you do. I just need a second to gather my thoughts, that's all".

Rick placed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Take all the time you need. Well, not really, since we probably should be up at the Hamptons tonight, but…"

"I know what you meant, Rick. And I promise, I just need a couple of seconds" Kate murmured gently, turning slightly to her fiancé and burying her face in the crook of his neck.

After a couple of minutes passed, Kate raised her head, smiling slightly at her fiancée. "Ready?"

She pulled away slightly, though remained close enough to him that his arm was still around her shoulder, and nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be, Rick"

A comfortable silence fell over the three of them as Kate led the way through the small cemetery in the direction of her mother's gravestone, threading her way expertly through the headstones that lined the ground around them, until at last they reached one set a reasonable distance apart from the rest. "Give me a second?" Kate asked quietly.

Rick nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze as she pulled away from him. She walked the short distance over to the grave and crouched down, placing the bouquet of flowers at the foot of the worn stone. When she next spoke, her voice was soft, with the slightest tinge of sadness to it. "Hi mom. It's me, Kate. I just… I wanted to let you know that I got an offer for a job in DC after one of the cases that Castle and I worked. I've turned it down though".

She paused, turning slightly to look back at Rick and Alexis, who stood side by side a short distance behind her. She managed a small smile before turning her attention back to the gravestone. "There are some things that are worth more than a job offer, no matter how high-ranking or powerful that job may be, and family… true happiness… is one of those things. Also… There are a couple of people that I'd like you to meet".

She stood, Rick and Alexis joining her just a couple of seconds later. Rick's arm slipped around her waist, squeezing softly, and she leaned into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. She held out her other hand to Alexis, the younger woman hesitating for barely a second before taking it. When Kate next spoke, her voice was still quiet and soft, though slightly louder than just a few moments before. "Mom, I'd like you to meet two of the most important people in my life, and a very important part of the reason that I'm staying in New York. I'd like you to meet Richard Castle, my fiancé as of two days ago, and Alexis, his daughter"

She paused for a second, as if listening for a response, and then laughed, the sound spreading like the softest music. "Yes, mom, he's the very same Richard Castle as the one that wrote the books you loved. And whose words inspired me to keep going with my life after your death, at least until I met the man himself" she added softly.

Catching her fiancé's eyes out of the corner of her own as the writer's eyes widened in surprise, Kate smiled. She'd almost forgotten that Rick had no idea how much his books had truly meant to her before their first meeting. "Rick and his family have changed my life for the better, mom… They really have"

She turned away, burying her face into her fiancé's neck. "I wish she could have met you, Rick. She would have loved you. Both of you" she whispered.

Rick placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his arms wrapping tighter around her waist to support her. "I wish we'd had the chance to meet her too, Kate. I really do".

Kate smiled softly. "Good".

She pulled away, squeezing his hand softly. "You ready to go?"

"Actually, do you mind if I say something to your mother first?"

Kate looked questioningly at him, seeing the happiness sparkling in his blue eyes, and nodded. Rick turned his attention to the worn stone just in front of them, his voice soft when he next spoke. "Mrs. Beckett… Johanna… I just wanted to say thank you. I honestly don't know what I would do without Kate. She and Alexis are the best things that have ever happened to me and… I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to spend the rest of my life showing her just how much she means to me. Your daughter is truly extraordinary, and I want to make sure that she knows that every day for the rest of our lives".

Kate's cheeks flushed lightly. "I'm pregnant, mom… The rest of our family and friends know; it's only fair that you do too… You probably already did though".

She turned in Rick's arms, pressing a brief, chaste, kiss to her fiancé's lips. "Shall we go?"

Rick's hand found hers, squeezing softly, and the writer nodded slightly. "Let's".

* * *

**I'd just like to say a quick thank you to everyone who's Reviewed, favourited, or followed over the last few Chapters. It really means a lot to me.  
Also, has anyone heard of the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry? It's honestly one of the most hauntingly beautiful, poignant, songs I've heard for a long time. **

**And I promise they will definitely get up to the Hamptons in the next Chapter. I just felt I had to include a scene with Kate's mother's grave first.**


	6. Honesty Is The Best Policy

**So here's the next part of the Time arc, focusing mostly on information about Kate's pregnancy and some good old-fashioned family fluff.**

_**Disclaimer - If I owned them, this would be canon. Kate's previous marriage and Castle's disappearance, along with the entire DC arc and Kate's doubts in TSaTQ (in fact, pretty much the entire Vaughn subplot), would never have occurred, and they'd have at least one child by now not counting Alexis. Unfortunately, these things did happen. All rights go to the appropriate people.**_

* * *

Kate sighed softly, easing herself back into the passenger seat of her fiancé's car, relieved that they would finally have some time to relax after what had been an extraordinarily long couple of weeks. Rick, noticing her movement out of the corner of his eyes, reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze and smiling gently at her. "Do you know how far along you are?" he queried, his voice soft so as not to wake Alexis, who had fallen asleep in the back seat only a few minutes before.

She paused for a few moments, considering the question carefully. "A month, maybe less. I haven't really had a chance to see a doctor yet, so I can't be 100% sure".

Rick looked thoughtful. "A month. That would mean sometime around the… celebrating… we did after the case where you stepped on that bomb and we both thought you were going to die".

"Either that or the case before".

"So, when did you… when did you find out, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kate could tell from the tone of his voice that he was curious to know whether she had known about her pregnancy when she'd gone to DC for the job interview, and she knew that he deserved to know the truth. Plus, after their argument the other day, she'd promised herself that she was going to stop hiding things from him. She squeezed her fiancé's hand gently, meeting his sapphire eyes with her own hazel ones, and gave the writer a reassuring smile. "If you're asking whether I knew I was pregnant when I took the job interview, Rick, I had no idea whatsoever. I actually didn't find out until just a few minutes after I called you and said we needed to talk. I'd been feeling slightly off for the entire case, but I just thought it was exhaustion or that I was coming down with the flu or something. Before coming to the park, I took a pregnancy test just in case, and when I saw the result, I knew that I had to tell you right away" she replied softly.

Her fiancé paused, digesting what she had just told him, and she gave him a soft smile. "I'm done lying to, and keeping secrets from, you and the rest of our family and friends, Rick. Nothing of the sort from now on, I promise. Just promise me you'll do the same in return?"

The writer met the eyes of the brunette woman sitting next to him, and nodded, leaning in to press a gentle, chaste, kiss to her forehead. Pulling away, he gave her a soft smile, and she felt her heart melt a little as she looked into his sparkling blue eyes. God, she loved this man. "I promise, Kate. No more secrets. Hey, it'll still be a while before we get there, why don't you get some rest? It's been a long few days, after all"

She couldn't help but agree with him. She hadn't had much time to sleep while they were working the case, with what she now guessed was the start of her pregnancy as well as her fear that her foolishness in not telling Rick about the interview might have ended the best relationship she'd been in for a long time (forever if she was entirely truthful, but there was no way she was going to tell him that. His ego was big enough as it was without her adding to it), and the night before had been spent enjoying and celebrating their engagement, and her pregnancy, with their family. She nodded, sighing softly as she closed her eyes, shifting to rest her head against the door. "I think I'll do just that... Wake me when we get there?"

"Of course. Get some rest".

"Okay. Love you, Rick…"

As she felt her tiredness overtake her, and she started to finally drift off into a well-deserved sleep, she heard Rick's soft "Love you too, Kate", and she smiled to herself, falling asleep with the smile still on her lips.

**~Two hours later~**

She woke to the sound of waves crashing against the beach and the gentle press of her fiancé's lips against her cheek. "Kate, we're here"

She shifted upright, blinking the sleep from her eyes and giving her fiancé a quick, chaste, kiss. "Hey".

He smiled back at her. "Hey. Did you have a good sleep?"

"An amazing sleep, actually. I guess the knowledge that everything's going to be alright has finally set in. Is the house unlocked?"

"Yeah, I took care of that while you were asleep, and Alexis took the few bags we brought with us inside already".

"Good. Now, any thoughts on how we can spend tonight?" the detective queried.

"Actually, I was thinking we could have something to eat and then sit outside for a while, maybe watch the sunset or go for a walk along the beach".

Kate smiled again, before leaning in, touching her lips to her fiancé's. "Sounds absolutely perfect".

* * *

**Hooray for Caskett fluffiness. Anyway, enjoy, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.**


	7. The Beginnings of a Plan

**Here's the next part of the storyline, including some Kate/Alexis bonding fluff. And a little bit of wedding planning. Sorry it took so long to post, but things have been rather busy here.**

**Review responses:**

**M12151 - You're welcome, I'm so glad you're enjoying it!**

**TORONTOSUN - Yeah, I kinda wish I did. But I don't.**

**Maria - Thank you, that means a lot to me.**

**LLLoveForever - It truly is.**

_**Disclaimer - If I owned Castle, all of this would be canon. But I don't, so it isn't.**_

* * *

Kate sighed in quiet contentment, curling herself further into her fiancé's side and resting her head on his shoulder, as they sat together on the grassy back lawn of the beach house, watching the sun as it steadily sank towards the horizon. Birds sang lazily in the trees surrounding the property, and the young detective didn't think that she'd ever really allowed herself to be more at ease. "It's just extraordinary…" she breathed out, watching as the setting sun seemed to stain the water below it a fiery reddish-orange in colour.

"Indeed. I don't think I've ever seen anything more extraordinary. Or beautiful" Rick replied quietly.

She tore her eyes from the sunset to look at him, finding him looking back at her. "You weren't talking about the sunset, were you, Rick?"

Her fiancé smiled warmly at her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Guilty as charged, Detective. I meant every word, by the way. You really are".

She felt herself blush. No matter how many times he complimented her, she wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to it. Sighing again in contentment, she closed her eyes momentarily, her hand unconsciously slipping down to rest itself on top of her stomach, allowing her mind to wander over the events of the past few days. Rick smiled softly at her. "Penny for your thoughts, Kate? You look like you're thinking about something there, is it anything in particular?"

Her eyes opened slowly, meeting the sapphire-blue orbs of her fiancé, giving him a soft smile in return. "Honestly? I was just thinking about how happy I am, and how fantastic the last couple of days have been. It's all because of you, Rick. You've brought so much light back into my life, and I don't think I can ever fully explain how much I appreciate everything you've done for me".

"Always, Kate. You know that".

Kate nodded, relaxing into her fiancé's side again. It was amazing how much of a snuggler she'd become since she and Rick had started dating. She'd never enjoyed it too much with her previous boyfriends, but with Rick it was just natural. "I think we should have the wedding up here…"

It took a couple of seconds for her to realize exactly what she had just said, and she glanced up at her fiancé to find him looking back at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "Did you mean that?"

She paused, considering what she was about to say, and then nodded. "I did. I just didn't mean for it to come out when it did. I was actually going to suggest it over breakfast tomorrow morning, but yes, Rick, I did. I meant every word. I know that this weekend is all about us relaxing and celebrating our engagement properly, and that we haven't even started making any official plans such as when we want to have the wedding or anything along those lines, but I can't help but think that a beachside wedding would be…"

She was cut off as Rick leaned in; capturing her lips in his in a brief, though passionate, kiss. As he pulled away, he smiled gently, and both of them spoke the next two words at exactly the same time, each knowing exactly what the love of their life was thinking. "Absolutely perfect".

**~An hour or so later~**

_Knock, knock._

The red-haired girl looked up from the book she was reading, smiling warmly at the darker-haired detective who stood in the doorway, watching her. "Do you need something?"

"Actually, I was just wondering if you had a moment to talk. It's about the wedding".

"Of course. Is everything alright?"

Kate nodded, quickly crossing the room to sit down on the bed beside her fiancé's daughter, pulling the younger girl into a hug and placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "Everything's fine, I promise."

The red-haired girl nodded in understanding. "Okay. So what did you want to tell me?"

"Well, actually, there are two things now. One thing I want to tell you and one thing I want to ask you. Firstly, we've decided that we're going to have the wedding here, in the Hamptons. It means there's a little less pressure on us to pick a date and make reservations, so it's one less thing that we have to worry about doing when we decide to actually start planning".

"Makes sense. So, what was it that you wanted to ask me?"

Kate smiled softly. "Well, I haven't mentioned this to your father yet, since I was hoping to speak to you about it first, but I was wondering if you'd be one of my bridesmaids".

Alexis looked up in surprise. "Really?"

Kate nodded. "Really. I want you to be a part of this, Alexis. More than anything. Besides, it'll give us a chance to spend some girl time together".

The red-haired girl smiled slightly, pulling the detective into a hug. "In that case, I'd be delighted".

* * *

**So there we go. I think that actually went relatively well.**

**If you're curious, the two songs I was listening to when I wrote this were:**

**Shout, by Tears for Fears.**

**Champagne Supernova, by Oasis.**


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